How flood sacked Shongom Communities with crops, houses in ruin
CHIMA AZUBUIKE, narrates the ordeals of communities in Shongom Local Government Area wreck by devastating impact of flood.
About three weeks ago dwellers of Pamadu, Majidadi, Kwara, Tambau, Gwalameche, went to bed with the hope of having sound sleep but for the rain that cumulated into flood which succeeded in collapsing houses, thereby rendering hundreds homeless and many others hungry.
Our Correspondent reports that the flood emanated from Bangunji the border between Kaltungo and Bambam, moving to Digga the border between Lalapido and Pero-Chonge. Although no lives lost, but property worth millions came to ruin.
Soli Adamu, a resident of Majidadi Gwandum said he was able to rescue his aged father by carrying him on his back, adding that was his last resort since his father had been crippled for sometime now.
Adamu who narrated his ordeal with visible signs of worry, said they were asleep when their home was overtaken by the raging flood.
He said, “From my estimate in Majidadi alone, 200 farms have been affected and over 100 houses. We had to save ourselves, by carrying our loved ones out of the village, I had to carry my own father who is crippled on my back. After that we started making calls to our Traditional and political leaders among which was Hon. Wina who promised to come to our aid.”
Adamu urged government agencies to hurry up in facilitating relevant support for victims, stressing that hungry stirs many in the face following the destruction of farmlands and overflowed barns which were soaked with water.
“We are calling on the government to help us relocate from the community and resettle us in another place, because now we had to build makeshift tents to stay in,” he said.
Survivors recount ordeals
30-year-old Blessing Babadi, is a mother of four. She is also a farmer, with her husband residing in Kano state, in search of greener pastures. She revealed how she has been playing both mother and father roles.
According to her, life has been tough managing her four children without her spouse, adding that her situation was worsened by the current food.
She said, “I’m a guinea corn farmer, the rain started at midnight, as a mother that does both the job of a man and a woman I realised that the building may collapse, so I picked myself and my children in search of safety.”
Babadi, who our Correspondent met at a neighbour’s house, explained how unfair life has treated her, noting that since her departure to a neighbour’s space she has depended on them for food and shelter.
“I have been staying with a neighbour the one I ran to in the middle of the rain. It was later that day that I came to carry my zinc so that I don’t lose it to criminals. I will not mind if government will rebuild our houses for us, that to a large extent will go far in cushioning the effects of our homelessness. It has not been very comfortable having to beg for food and depending on another family for survival,” Babadi said.
She said, “My husband has gone to Kano since five years now and I’m the only one with the kids struggling to make my children useful now this?”
•Doris Isah
40-year-old Doris Isah, resides in Tambau, an apprentice tailor, according to her, she complemented this with farming to augment her living condition.
She said, ‘I was sleeping at night when I heard a sound, a very loud crash towards the door it was around 2am. I noticed that a portion of my building had fallen with multiple cracks on the wall, the back of the building was not spared. So, far when it was day break we tried to manage the rest of the building so that we can have a place to sleep.”
Isah, explained that dwelling in the space has become terrible for her, noting that she covered the fallen part with mosquito nets, as well as stick to support the cracked building.
“We are facing exposure to cold, sun because the place is open. Alot of times when I shut my house to go out my mind is not usually at rest because the whole house is opened and anybody can come in. The building is also exposed to reptiles (snakes) they can easily attack my children and I,” Isah added.
Isah, who is a mother of four children disclosed that she had informed her husband about the current challenges of residing in such a structure, stressing that she was yet to get any assistance.
She added, “For the past three years my husband has not been with us he travelled to Abuja, in a quest to get greener pastures for the family. He comes seldomly especially during celebrations. I have informed him ( husband) but he is yet to say anything. I’m appealing to government to come to our aid, my intention has been to go back to my family house, my family compound to see if there is space for my children and I.
Also, Daniel Danladi, a resident of Gujuba, said he never could imagine that he would become a victim of flood.
According to the 34-year-old Danladi, his crops have been hugely affected, stressing that recovery may require external support to survive the astronomical loss.
He said, “We were sleeping around 2am and it was raining heavily. I never thought my house will be affected. We had to run out of the house, my barn was flooded together with the millet and rice grains that I had just harvested. We spent the night trying to salvage what we can from the ruins.”
Explaining further Danladi, said aside from his barn which is at home, his farm was also affected causing him to lose alot of money.
“I was also told that my farm has been flooded, but I couldn’t visit because as I am talking to you now there is no access road to our farms.
“I am calling on our Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to please come to our aid. We are ready to help him with his ambition of being reelected, if he helps us,” Danladi promised.
He added, “So far, we are yet to receive any assistance from the government, we are at the mercy of our families and friends until we can rebuild our homes.”
Gwandum terribly hit by the flood- District Head
Yahaya Haruna-Ayuba, District Head of Gwandum under Kaltungo chiefdom, decried the extent of devastation caused by the flood.
He disclosed that since his reign as District Head of Gwandum he had never witnessed the level of destruction as a result of flood, calling on relevant authorities to ensure help his people.
Haruna-Ayuba said, “The extent of the damage is much because alot of persons in the community lost their crops, homes their means of livelihood. I have never witnessed this in recent years. I can’t quantify the extent of the loss.”
Lamenting the failure of the State Emergency Management Agency to bring relief materials to the people, Haruna-Ayuba added, “that has been our cry for people to reach out to us because it is beyond our community that is why we are appealing to government and other non governmental organisations to come to our aid. As I speak to you we have not received assistance from any NGO or state government or NEMA we have not received any assistance. My people are earnestly waiting for assistance and we are praying that it will come and we pray God will bring the support quick of various organisations as it is beyond our own community.”
The District Head also blamed both environmental and human factors for the reason this year’s flood became devastating.
He said, “Human activities around deforestation. There was expectations that there would be very high rainfall this year and there is a level of accuracy with that prediction with what has happened now. You must realised that this community is faced with challenges that has to do with drainage systems. The flood is beyond our control, erosion support programmes could be used to assist this community.
“The 3G (Gombe Goes Green initiative of the State Government) programme of the governor if it is extended to Gwandum communities it will help in the afforestation of these areas towards curtaining more flood. As well as good road network that will pass through the town will be instrumental in curbing flooding. You must have noticed that the culverts are dry and the roads are flooded because there is no proper road network the channelling of the road is an issue. The trees where necessary will enhance afforestation.”
Lawmaker seeks intervention for the survivors
Assessing the loss of property, Member representing the constituency Pero-Shonge Samuel Wina, described the destruction as catastrophe.
Wina said, “If I can term as catastrophe, I will rather use the word. It is a big disaster that has covered the entire constituency. Farms have been over flooded and houses fell most especially mud houses because we live in remote area where people depend on more to build. Livelihoods have put in jeopardy, with people perching with relations or in school environment it is pathetic and we sympathise with our people.”
He added, “this is what global warming is bringing about and all we can do is call on the relevant agencies, relevant ministries to come to the aid of Pero-Shonge constituency. Many of them have lost everything. We should adjust to the realities of nature and all the activities that will bring global warming we should reduce it like cutting down of trees, burning of bushes and blushing drainages.”
SEMA blames failure to assist victims on stockout of relief items
Speaking in an interview with our Correspondent, Mohammed Garba, Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency decried the effects of the flood.
According to Garba, no lesser than 100 farms have been identified to have suffered loss from the devastation.
He said, “The flood has caused extensive damage with more than 100 of them being farmers. The Local Government has appropriately reported to the agency. Some of the farmlands were washed some were submerged and over 68 households coming man, wife and his children.
“So individually the number could be higher than that and there sections of the roads affected like the Filiya roads, volume of water that came the bridge could not take the water, thereby affecting a section of the bridge linking the headquarters boh has been cut-off.”
Speaking on why the communities were yet to get relief materials, he said, “it is unfortunate that we don’t have stock of relief materials on ground as at the time the report reached us. If we had relief items we would have immediately swung into action by delivering relief materials to the survivors of the unfortunate disaster, as it is the tradition due to the numbers involved it beyond the number of the local council and they have done the right thing by reporting to us. It unfortunate that the one we have is exhausted and we have to seek for another tranche from government for us to be able to deliver to the survivors.”
Gombe Goes Green to mitigate effects of climate change
Commenting on the cause of the disaster, Garba revealed that this was part of the challenges of climate change, stressing that it was surmountable.
“It one of the effects of climate change that we are witnessing in the world over because you visited the area and there is no river there, so we can’t say it is the river that had overflowed it bank.
“That is why the state government is seriously trying to mitigate this problem by introducing the Gombe Goes Green initiative which is about planting tree seedlings to ensure that the adverse effects of the climatic change is reduced,” he added.
